


Change Is For Butterflies

by ohstarling



Series: before the war [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-15
Updated: 2013-10-15
Packaged: 2017-12-29 13:09:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1005795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohstarling/pseuds/ohstarling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>First date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Change Is For Butterflies

It’s one thing to know how you feel, but it’s another thing entirely for you to do something with that information. As a Ravenclaw, Emmeline Vance was perfectly aware that she was nervous, but knowing this did nothing to calm the butterflies in her stomach.

She also knew why she was nervous. Today was Saturday, and a Hogsmeade weekend. Normally, that would cause her to be less anxious, but not today, and it was all because of what had occurred on Wednesday. Just thinking about it made the fluttering increase.

_‘Emmeline, would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me?’_

_Her eyes lit up, but she didn’t reply. After about a minute of waiting, Regulus’s smile faltered and he stepped back, releasing her hands._

_‘Wait!’ Emmeline cried. ‘I thought I wasn’t supposed to talk.’_

_Regulus rolled his eyes but took her hands again. ‘Well, obviously, you’re supposed to answer when I ask you a question.’_

_‘Right,’ she said sheepishly. ‘Sorry. Ask me again.’_

_It took all of her willpower not to giggle when Regulus pouted in an adorable manner before repeating his question, but she couldn’t keep back the grin when he did._

_‘Yes,’ she said, beaming. ‘Yes, I really would.’_

And that was why she was nervous – today was her first date with Regulus Black. Actually, today was her first date ever.

After trying on what seemed to be everything in her trunk, and settling on what she had been wearing in the first place, Emmeline wrapped herself in her cloak, told herself not to be an idiot, and descended the many stairs to the Entrance Hall. Fortunately, Regulus was already waiting for her, so there was no time to talk herself out of going.

‘Hi,’ said Regulus, a smile spreading across his face.

‘Hi.’

‘Er, shall we?’ He gestured to the huge oaken doors, and Emmeline nodded. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad – a nice walk, some window shopping, and a butterbeer, all with someone she’d been dying to spend time with.

‘I’m so glad it isn’t raining,’ she began. ‘I was afraid it might, when I saw how cloudy it was this morning.’

Regulus chuckled. ‘While I agree, I refuse to have that be our topic of conversation – the weather? I mean, honestly. That’s slightly pathetic.’

Emmeline flushed. ‘Point taken, but I don’t see you coming up with something better.’

‘True,’ he conceded. ‘Well, the weather is pretty self-explanatory, but there are several things I don’t know about you. Let’s start with your family. Do you have any siblings?’

With such an easy topic, Emmeline found herself relaxing, and before long, they’d covered a lot of ground – both literally and figuratively. She learned that Regulus preferred dark chocolate to milk, he was fascinated by the Muggle sport football, that his parents tried to spoil him – ‘but I don’t think it worked; do you?’ – and that he’d always wanted a sister.

Once in Hogsmeade, they simply talked about the many interesting things they discovered. Zonko’s had a few new products on display, and Honeydukes had a new flavour of fudge. After sampling the sweets, they went on to the Three Broomsticks to warm themselves with hot tankards of butterbeer.

Emmeline found a seat while Regulus went to get the drinks. With a moment to herself, she was surprised to realise how at ease she felt with him. There was still a bit of nervousness, but Regulus was fun and easy to talk to, and he seemed truly interested in whatever she had to say.

‘What are you smiling about?’ Regulus asked as he set a foaming mug of butterbeer in front of her.

‘I didn’t realise I was smiling,’ said Emmeline. ‘But … well, to tell you the truth, I was really nervous this morning, and now I see how silly that was.’

‘Oh, no, that wasn’t silly at all,’ he said. ‘You should be very scared – I am a Black, after all, and one of those ruthless Slytherins.’

Emmeline spluttered. ‘Ruthless? Hardly! Don’t forget, you told me about the kittens you found in your backyard.’

‘All right, so perhaps not “ruthless”. I am, however, cunning and clever – you see how the kitten story made you fall for me?’

‘I wouldn’t say it was the kitten story that did the job,’ Emmeline said dryly.

‘Oho, but you admit you’ve fallen for me! See, I’m so sly that you don’t even know how that happened.’

‘Very true. I have no idea what I’m doing here. Perhaps I should leave?’

‘Sit down,’ Regulus ordered, tugging her back into her seat with a grin. He didn’t release her hand right away, though, and Emmeline could feel the change between them.

Regulus looked down at their hands, his smile slipping from his face, only to be replaced by a look of concentration. His thumb brushed lightly over the back of her hand. Emmeline shivered.

‘I’m really glad you came up to me in the library the other day,’ he said. ‘I mean, I’d intended to ask you out, but these things are a little nerve-wracking for the guys, too. I’m not sure when I’d have worked up the courage.’

‘I have a hard time believing that,’ Emmeline said softly. ‘But I’m glad, too. You really had me worried when you kept me waiting out by the lake.’

‘I know,’ said Regulus, smirking a little. ‘I could tell. When I said I was confused, that was true, but I also waited a little, just watching you, trying to figure out what you were thinking. You looked so worried, though, that I couldn’t let the opportunity pass.’

Indignant, Emmeline tried to pull her hand away, but he tightened his grip.

‘Sorry,’ he said, not really looking sorry at all. ‘But it worked out, right?’

‘I think so,’ she said softly. ‘Does that mean – what does that mean, exactly?’

‘It means,’ said Regulus, ‘that this isn’t going to be our last date. Unless you want it to be …’

‘No, no!’ Emmeline hastened to assure him. ‘I don’t. I’d like to do this again.’

‘Good,’ he said, looking pleased. ‘Me too.’ He gave her hand a final squeeze before releasing it. ‘Wow, look how dark it is! It must be almost time to get back to the school.’

‘Now who’s remarking on the weather?’ she teased.

‘Not the weather; the time of day,’ Regulus corrected her, grinning. ‘But touché. That was a horrible way to change the subject, wasn’t it?’

‘It really was,’ she agreed. ‘Though you’re right, of course. We probably should be getting back.’

Despite their reluctance to discuss it, the day had become much colder, and Emmeline’s cloak didn’t prevent her from shivering in the chilly wind.

‘You know, I think we should just stop trying not to talk about the weather,’ she said, her teeth chattering. ‘Because it’s absolutely freezing.’

‘Here,’ Regulus said, wrapping an arm around her. ‘I think you should be able to talk about whatever you want to talk about. Especially if it’s about me.’

‘You’re incorrigible, you know that?’

‘That was about me!’ he crowed. Emmeline giggled. ‘But here, I’ll reciprocate. When you smile like that, all I can think about is kissing you.’

She stopped laughing and looked up at him.

‘Actually,’ Regulus said softly, ‘I think about kissing you even when you aren’t smiling.’ He moved his free hand up to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear. ‘May I?’

She nodded, and his hand curved around to cup the back of her head. Slowly, he lowered his mouth to hers, and Emmeline slipped her arms up around his neck, pressing closer. Regulus brushed kisses to her cheek and her pink nose before moving away.

‘Let’s get you back to school before you freeze,’ he whispered. ‘It wouldn’t be much fun to have an icicle for a girlfriend.’

Emmeline recognised the question implied in that statement, and she wrapped her arm around his waist. ‘It probably wouldn’t,’ she agreed. Regulus smiled, and Emmeline might have missed his small sigh of relief if she hadn’t been touching him.

**Author's Note:**

> first posted 22 February 2008


End file.
